I spent time this afternoon cleaning my apartment. I had a few hours to myself, and I did some laundry, some thorough vacuuming and dusting, and a few other chores. The result was that, at the end of the day, my living room and bedroom looked better than they have in quite a while. I’ve been busy lately and haven’t really been able to venture past straightening and tidying to really cleaning. But today I got to clean, and it felt good.
Sometimes household chores seem endless. They seem like a hindrance to creativity, because they take so much time. A lot of days, I don’t feel like doing them at all. But some days, like today, I take joy in these tasks because I see the result: my work helps my home become a space of peace and beauty.
I like the term homemaking. Probably because I love home and I love making. Doing the dishes every day, changing the bed sheets, scrubbing the bathtub – all these tasks are part of making a home. That thought encourages me; it helps me remember that time spent cooking and cleaning is not time lost to creativity. In its own way, homemaking is creative work.
This song has been my working song for the past several months. It reminds me that everyone has daily tasks to accomplish – tasks that will have to be performed all over again the next day. We can whine about it, or we can “sing for the beauty that’s to be found.” I’d rather sing.
Posted by Elise 
